Wishing On A Well
by MaxRide05
Summary: Luna wishes for someone -other than family- who would mourn her death, when it comes. Cedric wishes to know true loyalty. What happens when the two meet?


**Full summary: Luna wishes for someone who, isn't one of her relatives, but who would mourn her death as her father did her late mothers'. Cedric wishes to know true loyalty seeing as it's so hard for him to find -being Hufflepuff's shining star and all. What happens when the two meet? Will they realise that wishes can only take them so far and that what happens next is their choice?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

Wishing on a Well

It was a cold, snow-infested Sunday afternoon in the winter when two young Hogwarts students nearly collided with each other near an old run-down Well outside the muggle/wizarding village of Ottery St Catchpole.

"Oh sorry," the young boy of sixteen said apologetically, "Wasn't looking where I was going." The Hufflepuff looked back over his shoulder towards the hazy outline of the distant village, causing the gentle wind to caress his bronze hair and his grey eyes to water slightly.

"Oh no, that's alright," the soothing voice of a young girl said, "Wrackspurt get you?"

The boy blinked then turned his head slowly to look down at the thirteen year old Ravenclaw with wild, long hair and wide silver-grey eyes.

"Umm," He stuttered in confusion as he studied her slightly-familiar, pale mischievous-looking pixie features, he was sure he'd seen her somewhere. "Wrackspurt?"

And then it clicked. "You're Luna Lovegood."

"Indeed I am," the young girl answered, "No need to ask who you are, Cedric Diggory."

Cedric already-red cheeks flushed, whether from her lilting yet slightly vacant tone -most girls spoke to (and of) him in flustered tones of embarrassment and/or admiration (but then again most of those girls were from his own house -one looked down upon more than the Snake's Nest) or from her intense gaze -for someone so young (and mysterious) Cedric believed her to be wise beyond her years, but that's how it looked to him anyway.

Or maybe it was from the cold -he cursed himself for forgetting the warming charm so soon (it was _all_ Hufflepuff's Captain Jones' fault, really it was. Well, _ex-_Captain he should say, Cedric was the Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain now) -he never knew.

Cedric smiled at her softly, and she responded with one of her own.

"So what's a young girl like you doing out here alone and in the cold?"

It was snowing lightly now, and Luna tilted her head upwards and stuck her pink tongue out to try and catch a snowflake… or five.

"I like the snow," She answered, still in that lilting tone -how she managed that with her tongue out he _did not_ know- as she successfully caught a snowflake and grinned; making Cedric blink rapidly at his rather strange thought of how angelic she looked, what with her ivory skin, pale pink lips, light eyes, and blonde hair. Especially in that long white coat and pale blue earmuffs. Granted she was wearing purple wellington boots with yellow stars but still…

Cedric shook his head violently then realised that she had just asked him something.

"Pardon?" He asked which -oddly enough- gained a sympathetic look from Luna. Then again she was an odd girl.

"Wrackspurt get you?"

Cedric blinked; he was having an odd sense of déjà vu.

Luna sighed softly, "Nasty bugger won't leave you alone will he? I wish I hadn't left my Wrackspurt kit at home. It had my flute in it and everything."

_She plays the flute?_ Cedric blurted out the first -alright second- thing that came to mind, "How do you know it… the Wrackspurt was- is a he?"

She shrugged, "I just do. I suppose since I've had so much exposure to them I can tell. Well, that and the fact that everyone knows female Wrackspurts don't come out in winter."

"Oh, I didn't." Cedric really didn't know what was wrong with him today. He blamed the cold. Which, he only just started to notice, was seeping though his trousers as some time in their conversation, he and Luna had sat down in front of the Well. She was running her fingers through the cracks of the well when her voice startled him -he was _almost_ ashamed to admit that he was staring at her again, admiring the way her eyes had reflected the snow in their wide silvery midst.

"You should subscribe to the Quibbler then. My father's the editor you know." He nodded; he did know. They lapsed into a comfortable silence only broken when Luna cast a warming charm on them ("Learnt it from my mother." She told him with a distant, almost sad, look in her wide eyes) and the occasional question from Cedric ("So what does a Wrackspurt do exactly?").

A little while later she asked, "I don't suppose you have a coin I could borrow, Cedric?"

Cedric tilted his head slightly and his dark, thick eyebrows furrowed in confusion -though truth be told he'd stopped trying to figure out Luna a long time ago and not for lack of trying either -it was just easier. They were minutes walk away from a village, so what did she want a coin for? A very interesting question indeed.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to ask she said, "Just temporarily. I'll pay you back." Then she changed the course of the conversation -however odd it was- so quickly it nearly gave him whiplash. "Did you know that this was an old wishing well?"

"Uh…no I didn't Luna." She really was an odd one. Not that that was a bad thing. His life was too normal, _much_ too normal (even his 'quirks' such as blinking whenever he was confused, were normal. Sort of); he needed a bit of madness to balance it out he reckoned.

Luna shuffled closer to the well and Cedric instinctively -of course, that's all it was- reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her leaning forward too far. Yeah, that's all it was…

She spoke softly, barely aware his firm yet gentle grip, "If you look closely I'm sure you can see the coins at the bottom that our ancestors used to throw in and…"

"And make wishes with." He finished, leaning forward himself and unconsciously wrapping an arm around Luna's waist while using his other hand to steady their combined weight. Her head turned slightly to look him in the eyes; her face flushed slightly in a way that he was sure wasn't from the cold. He felt his face flush as well and he cleared his suddenly dry throat as a small shiver ran down his spine.

"I-I have a coin, well two in fact… so we can both make a wish. And you don't have to pay me back, just call it me helping…" He paused unsure of what to call her as he took his arm from her waist and leaned back, missing the brief contact between them.

"…A neighbour?" She questioned, the insecurity in her soft tone making Cedric flush, this time in anger.

He knew of how they treated her. Her own house mates. The very people who were supposed to be like a temporary family while she was at Hogwarts. Though he knew it wasn't just her own house that taunted her, it was the others too, his house included -though he recalled stepping in the times he had seen her being ambushed, what with him being a Prefect and all.

Not that that was the only reason he helped her, of course._ No one_ -however different their views were- deserved to be treated like that. He even saw muggle-borns joining in the taunting and -to his dismay, yet not _complete_ bewilderment- a few of his own dorm mates. The people he had called friends. But they weren't really; he knew that now.

In fact he'd known for some time; as a first year he'd only made few close friends and even fewer acquaintances. Then his third year he tried out for seeker, he got the position then won Hufflepuff the cup for the first time in four years -at least that's what the older students always told him, he on the other hand thought they were exaggerating.

True friendship was hard to find -even in the house of kind and fair Helga Hufflepuff- yet he realised that not once had Luna asked him if he loved Quidditch, what his favourite team was, what broomstick he recommended -(and just _how_ would he know? His father _wasn't_ made of money. He was a 'hard working man, and Cedric was to follow in his footsteps, for hard working men do _not_ make careers out of flying on broomsticks chasing a golden ball with wings' or so his father had lectured to him from time to time. So, in other words, no he did not know which broomstick was the best) - or anything Quidditch related what so ever.

Cedric grabbed Luna's cold hand in his own and squeezed it gently, "As a friend, Luna."

He rummaged around in the pockets of his dark brown trench coat with his free hand until his fingers found the soft material of his money bag. He pulled out two golden coins and turned Luna's hand so her palm was facing upwards. He placed a cool coin into her palm and closed her fingers around it then he squeezed her hand again with a small smile.

Luna, who had been staring at Cedric's hand that was still on hers, looked up at him, and returned the smile -gone was the blank, dreamy expression that was replaced by a genuine smile. The second real smile he'd seen on her impish face -though the first was a grin to be perfectly honest. And Cedric was always perfectly honest.

They closed their eyes and silently made their wishes, both of them clinging to some hope that it would come true.

Seconds later two small splashes were heard as the coins hit the water and nature worked its magic.

Cedric opened his eyes to see Luna smiling at him and he stood up, offered his hand to Luna, and said, "It's getting dark. I'll walk you home."

He didn't miss the flicker of disappointment that crossed her face but that was soon forgotten as Luna slipped her hand in his and he pulled her up on her feet. She stood mere inches away from him and if he wanted to he could have closed the distance between them and…

He squeezed his eyes tightly and exhaled heavily; he really should stop thinking like that. He vaguely heard her ask if he was alright and he smiled softly; she was worried about him. He opened his eyes to find her light ones boring into his and, instead of a reply, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind;

"I hate Quidditch." It was her eyes, he swore it was. Or maybe it was because she was so open-minded and un-biased. But, he did know that it just so easy to tell her things he wouldn't normally tell. He knew she wouldn't make a big song and dance about it. Unlike some people he knew…

He waited for her reply and instead the blank mask he'd gotten used to seeing he saw amusement.

"Really?" Her tone was clear and inviting. Yes, he definitely knew he could tell her anything.

"Yeah, really. I didn't used to but… now it's lost its appeal." He told her as they walked at a leisurely pace near the forest that surrounded the Entrance to the wizarding community of Ottery St Catchpole, "I love flying and used to find Quidditch fun, but now it's all about the competition. Now, that just took the fun out of it. I mean, I'm no Oliver Wood; I'm not obsessed with Quidditch. I don't live and breathe Quidditch."

Luna nodded in understanding, "No one said you had too, Cedric. And as for Oliver Wood, maybe Quidditch is the only thing that keeps him going," Cedric's brow furrowed in confusion, "Maybe Quidditch is his outlet, his focus. And without it he'd be lost. Lost in a…"

Luna had stopped walking now and as he stopped and turned to face her, Cedric got the very unwelcome feeling that they weren't talking about Oliver Wood and his Quidditch obsession anymore.

"I've said too much." She muttered, staring straight ahead with blank eyes.

Cedric's thoughts blurred in his apparent confusion, as he blinked rapidly.

And then… it dawned on him. Luna's statement suddenly became clear.

In fact, it became as clear as a Crumple-horned Snorcak's… waste in the light of a baby Helopath… or something to that effect.

"Y-you're not…" He stuttered and then suddenly Luna started walking but at a fast pace. She called back to him in a blank voice, "I can get home from here thanks Cedric."

_Oh no she doesn't. _"Luna, stop!" She ignored him and kept walking away; he had to run to catch up with her.

"Oh no you don't." He grabbed her hand and turned her to face him. He inhaled sharply at her cold expression yet he could see an old grief in her eyes; something he wouldn't have seen before from behind her dreamy mask.

He stepped forward and entwined their fingers as she whispered, "Cedric, let me go."

"No," He hated how his voice cracked slightly as a lump formed in his throat, "Luna please don't walk away from me. Please."

He moved closer towards her as her eyes narrowed, "Luna," He cleared his throat, "You don't have to tell me what's wrong, just please don't shut me out." He cupped her face in his calloused hands and wiped away her silent tears.

He pulled her towards his toned chest as she sniffled.

He held her to him as she shook slightly with repressed tears.

"Let it out," He whispered to her, "Don't hold it in."

She sobbed in his arms, her carefully composed mask shattering to pieces as he held her lithe body in his wiry arms. Eventually her heart-wrenching sobs toned down to silent tears and sniffles.

She tried to pull away from him but his arms tightened around her waist, and sighing she told him of witnessing her mother's death, having to pull her father back from his pit of grief and never really having time to properly mourn the loss of the mother she never really knew.

She had never showed her grief, not even on the day of her mother's funeral, though she had cried herself to sleep many nights. Especially after she began Hogwarts and her dreamy, not-quite-there mask -designed to stop anyone getting too close to her, finding out her secret (the reason she could see Threstals) and eventually leaving her one way or another- worked a little too well and numerous students bullied her and stole her things at her expense.

She never showed how much that hurt or angered her though; she wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

_Those dung beetles_, he thought angrily as he wiped away her tears, and they continued to walk down the beaten-down path in the forest, their fingers entwined.

Though what Cedric didn't know was that Luna was tired of being alone; she wanted -perhaps needed- a friend. A close one. Or maybe something more…

Cedric decided to break the tense silence, "So what did you wish for?"

Luna snorted and said in a teasing voice, "Now, now Cedric you know as well as I do that it wouldn't come true if I tell anyone."

Cedric inwardly grinned, it had worked; he distracted her, it was as if her outburst had never happened.

"Well, mine came true." Luna stared at him curiously as they came to a stop at the top of the path leading to the Lovegood's crooked house.

"Really?" She whispered.

He nodded and she smiled softly, "Good for you."

Their eyes never wavered as they stared into each other's eyes; bland grey into weird and wonderful silvery grey.

Then she spoke softly, "Cedric, when I die will you miss me?"

Cedric's eyes widened, "Are you going to die? Soon? W-what do you have an illness? Or..."

Luna smirked softly yet Cedric saw relief in her eyes, "No, just answer the question."

"Sorry, you just surprised me -as you always seem to do." He continued, "Yes. I would, immensely. You're the only one who actually sees me Luna, as Cedric, not Cedric the… well I could go on for a bit so I'll just cut to the chase."

He bent his head, never breaking eye contact with Luna as he turned his head so their cheeks brushed against the others'. His heart thumped in his chest as he heard her light gasp, his lips brushed the shell of her ear as he whispered, "Yes, I would really, really miss you if -and Merlin forbid- when you die Luna Lovegood."

He leaned back taking in her relieved smile -which he didn't hesitate in returning- before closing the distance between them, closing his eyes, and lightly brushing his lips against hers.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and she rested her hands on his shoulders as he pulled her closer to him. He never realised how full and soft her lips were until they were pressed against his. He felt her smile onto his lips when he ran his fingers through her hair and she stroked the back of his neck with her slender fingers.

They reluctantly pulled away from each other and took deep breaths, when the need for oxygen became too strong.

They grinned at each other and Luna whispered, "My wish has also come true, Cedric."

Then they departed with a kiss on the lips and soppy grins on their faces.

**A/N: Constructive criticism is welcomed. Just no flames. **


End file.
